0: Identify the known.

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What we know will be challenging.

Naming anticipated challenges about next fall will allow us to proactively seek solutions that take the needs of diverse learners into account. Based on our evolving understanding of distance learning, experience as educators, and knowledge of diverse learners needs, we have identified three (3) categories that we expect to be difficult this fall - regardless of which reentry scenario becomes the reality.

Student and teacher transitions will be challenging.

Responding to change can cause feelings of anxiety. Factors that will exacerbate those feelings for all stakeholders surrounding the transition back to school in the fall include general unfamiliarity, scenario uncertainty, unclear decision-making timelines, and health/safety concerns. Additional teacher specific challenges may include the formation of new roles or responsibilities and a lack of training or support available.

Maximizing and accelerating learning will be challenging.

The effect of time away from school on students’ acquisition and retention of skills is unknown. Educators must enter the school year prepared to adjust what + how they’re teaching in order to accommodate the range of needs they encounter. Schools and teachers will need to make decisions about what to teach and how to maximize student learning. This means looking at the standards, naming the prerequisite skills and knowledge students need to access grade level content and prioritizing what we want students to know and be able to do at the end of the school year. Educators serving diverse learners will be tasked with navigating where individual student goals fit within this adjusted (and accelerated) instructional framework. 

Meaningful compliance will be challenging.

We do not yet know if/what policy updates will occur between now and the start of the school year. Regardless of shifts in requirements, it is the responsibility of teachers and administrators to meet students’ right to an appropriate education. To do this, schools must plan for continuity of services across scenarios as well as develop contingency plans for the ever changing landscape. 

What we know will be necessary.

Identifying aspects of distance learning that were effective (even for specific groups of students) will elevate them as key practices to intentionally apply in our reentry planning. Based on emerging narratives, we have identified three (3) instructional shifts that occurred during distance learning that fostered positive outcomes for some or all students.

Students benefited from leveraged student input.

During remote learning, students were able to take ownership of their education by exercising autonomy in how learning occurred, when learning occurred, and how to demonstrate that learning had occurred. The utilization of both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities preserved the classroom community, but also allowed students some control over pacing. Content could be sequenced by students or for students, depending on age and need, in a way that provided tailored instruction. This chunking of content and skills could be provided in a different way than may have been done in a brick and mortar classroom.

Students benefited from amplified teacher investment.

Communication with students and families was a pillar of successful remote learning. The increased frequency and quality of teacher-student and teacher-family check-ins enabled educators to take a genuine, whole-child approach to instruction and support. Educators were able to build working relationships, expand their understanding, and identify relevant supports for students and their families.

Students benefited from alternative learning environments.

The change of social stimulus brought about by remote learning bolstered the academic achievement of some students. Working from home eliminated common classroom distractions and increased feelings of safety. Although only some students found their home environment to be more conducive to learning, it is important to keep in mind how the environment can be structured to meet individual student needs. It is important to push to find new ways to adapt learning environments to maximize learning and achievement for all students. 

What we know will need to be answered.

Recognizing which answers are essential to moving forward will allow us to prioritize questions that matter. Based on the identified challenges and what we believe to be most pressing for diverse learners, we have identified one (1) big question that will be vital to how and what we plan.

How can we redesign our systems of assessment and
models of instruction to most effectively address
emerging needs of students in equitable ways?

It is important to note that this question calls for a redesign. The question must be answered with novel solutions that fully address student needs, not approximate modifications of existing systems. Answers to this question must address what is to be measured, when, and how: academically, socially, and emotionally. Answers to this question must also touch on how to integrate the best instructional strategies in ways that can accelerate academic skill acquisition, embed social/emotional learning, and foster the building of relationships and community. The question emphasizes the importance of answers that result in equal access and equitable opportunity.